LaPorte County coroner presses council to reclassify chief deputy, citing 24/7 duties and low pay

LaPorte County Coroner Lynn Swanson told the county council on Sept. 22 that her chief deputy is paid roughly $25,359 a year while performing duties the coroner said require on‑call, near‑full‑time responsibilities.

Swanson said the deputy’s official job description dates from 2006 and lists the position as part‑time, though the deputy “is on call 24/7,” covers shifts when Swanson is away and handles scheduling and training. “To require that person to be on call 24 hours, 24/7 as you stated… I think you’re walking a very fine line in creating a lawsuit,” a council attorney warned during the exchange.

Swanson asked the council to approve updating the job description, reclassifying the position as full‑time, and to consider pay increases that would reflect the duties. She told members she had provided HR with an updated description and that recruitment has been difficult; deputies are paid $150 per call and receive modest stipends ($25 for a 12‑hour on‑call block, $50 for 24 hours), which she said limits applicants.

Council members agreed the job description and the county salary grid need to be reconciled. The presiding officer directed Swanson to mark up the job description, submit it to HR, and the council said it would follow up to move the request before the job/classification committee. Members discussed the option of moving some deputies from 1099 contractor status to part‑time county positions to improve recruitment and benefits, but no formal change to pay scales was adopted at the meeting.

The matter will proceed through HR and the job evaluation/classification consultants for formal recommendation and any budget implications.

The council adjourned the coroner item after asking staff to return with an updated job description and pay‑grid comparisons from peer counties.